Page 45 of Bad Guys Need Love Too

That was weird. Neal never missed work. He even put in a full eight-hour day after he got food poisoning from that sushi place she’d told him looked sketchy. The fucker had taken her favorite popcorn bowl with him to use a puke bucket all day.

But Neal’s work habits weren’t her business anymore. What was she supposed to do? Marry Neal and have his kids even though she couldn’t stand the sight of him most days? That wouldn’t have been in anyone’s best interest.

“These are things he will want back,” she assured Isla. “You’re not doing me a favor by giving them to him. You’re doinghima favor.”

Lark fought off an eye roll as Isla did the mental math on whether or not she should give Neal a box of his things.For god’s sake, woman. Just take the stupid thing! I don’t have all day here. There’s a killer after me!

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” Isla said quietly. “But if giving him this box means I never have to see you again, I’ll do it.”

“Was Neal slipping this woman a hot beef injection on the regular?” Tenley asked over coms.

Lark choked on her own spit. It took a few moments of gasping and coughing, all while Isla blinked at her dispassionately, to regain her composure.

“I only ask,” Tenley continued, “because she’s weirdly possessive for an employee.”

“Definitely,” Ren murmured.

Dammit George agreed. A line of hair was standing up down his spine, and he was making a deep, rumbly growl as he eyed Isla suspiciously.

Lark ignored them all, but her mind was definitely spinning. Had Neal been cheating on her with his assistant? How…uncreative of him.

She set the box on Isla’s desk. “Thank you. And…” she trailed off, fighting the urge to apologize. She had nothing to apologize for, damn it! Especially if Neal had been fucking his much younger assistant behind her back. “…have a nice day.”

“Goodbye, Lark,” Isla said. “I hopeyouhave the day you deserve.”

“I don’t like her,” Tenley said.

“Me neither,” Ren added.

Lark wasn’t a fan at the moment, either. She was even kind of regretting that Sephora gift card she’d picked up for Neal to give Isla as a Christmas present last year.

But none of that was important. What mattered now was escape. She’d done her part of the plan. Now it was time for Ren to do his.

CHAPTER 21

Ren had somehow managed to not storm the law office like a marauding Viking, toss Lark over his shoulder, and drag her out of there. But just barely.

He took his first easy breath since Lark had come up with this ridiculous plan as he watched her and Dammit George pile into Tenley’s ridiculous spectacle of an SUV.

Note to self: don’t let Tenley use her car as a getaway vehicle ever again. Getting noticed this time was fine, but for future jobs, an orange Bentley Bentayga is the opposite of inconspicuous.

“Can that stupid old work van keep up with my baby?” Tenley asked over comms.

Herbabymight be faster off the line, but hisstupid old work vancould keep up while towing a house. That was the difference between a thoroughbred and a workhorse. “It’ll manage,” he said dryly.

“Did Isla put the box in Neal’s office?” Lark asked.

“She didn’t,” he said. “It’s still at her desk, which is fine for now. You did good, baby.”

“We aren’t being followed,” Tenley said. “I would’ve noticed by now. Which is too bad. I really thought it was a good plan.”

Ren agreed. He hadn’t seen any evidence of their friend, Nico, either. “Pull into that parking garage up ahead, Tenley. I need to check to make sure my device is connecting to Neal’s.”

“That sounds vaguely dirty,” Tenley said.

“Everything sounds vaguely dirty to you,” he grumbled, maneuvering the van into a spot next to Tenley’s car.

He’d barely parked when Lark leapt out of Tenley’s SUV, into his van, crawled across the center console and threw herself into his arms. He buried his head in her hair and held on tight.

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